IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESS OF SALTING RIVER HERRING, 
ESPECIALLY ADAPTED TO WARM CLIMATES.* 
By Harpen F.. Taytor, Technologist, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. 
Contribution from the Fishery Products Laboratory, Washington, D. C. 
INTRODUCTION. 
In the warmer parts of the United States it has generally proved 
to be difficult, if not impossible, to preserve certain kinds of fish by 
salting, though some kinds appear to be more difficult of preserva- 
tion than others. The reason for failure was believed to be that at 
warm temperatures the fish spoils before the salt penetrates to the 
innermost parts; this belief was verified experimentally in an investi- 
gation* in which several improvements in the process of salting 
alewives or river herring were evolved. No doubt these improv ements 
are applicable also to other kinds of fish. As will be seen below, 
none of them are really new, but well known procedures were studied 
chemically and variations which gave best results were followed 
in every case, so that the process is very much more successful under 
adverse conditions, and the final product is superior in quality. 
While the procedure herein described has been quite successful in 
a small way, it will be understood by all cautious persons that no 
unusual methods should be applied on a large scale until their prac- 
ticability has been thoroughly established ‘by commercial applica- 
tion. In Florida some 80, 000 river herring, or alewives, were salted 
under the supervision of this Bureau in the 1920 season. These were 
marketed at a good price, and no complaints were lodged with the 
producers, so far as known. It therefore seems proper to make 
available in practicable form the details of the process employed for 
those who care to try it. 
As stated above, the difficulty in salting fish in warm climates 
seemed to be due to slow penetration of salt and rapid decomposition 
of the fish. Obviously, then, any procedure that hastens penetration 
of salt and retards decomposition of fish should improve the pros- 
pects of success, A number of simple and practicable ways of doing 
both of these things were found. For example, it was found that 
calcium, or lime, and magnesium, the common impurities in salts 
used commercially, retard penetration altogether out of proportion 
to the quantities present. <A salt consisting of 4.7 parts of magnesium 
1 Appendix II to the Report of the U. 8. Commissioner of Fisheries for 1921. B. F. 
Doc. No. 903. 
2For original chemical and scientific data on which this paper is based, see “ Some 
Considerations Concerning the Salting of Fish,’ by Donald Kk. Tressler, B. F. Doe. No. 
884, Appendix V, Report, U. 8. Commissioner of Fisheries for 1919. 
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